Google Consent Mode v2: Complete Implementation Guide

What Is Google Consent Mode v2?

Google Consent Mode is a framework that lets your website adjust the behaviour of Google tags (Analytics, Ads, Floodlight) based on the consent status of your visitors. Version 2, enforced since March 2024, added two new required signals: ad_user_data and ad_personalization.

Without Consent Mode v2, websites serving EU users lose access to conversion measurement, remarketing audiences, and personalised advertising in Google Ads. Google will simply stop processing that data.

Why Google Made This Change

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) designates Google as a "gatekeeper" platform. Under the DMA, Google must ensure that personal data from EU users is only processed with valid consent. Consent Mode v2 is how Google verifies this compliance.

If your website does not send the correct consent signals, Google treats all EU traffic as non-consented. Your ads still run, but you get no conversion tracking, no audience building, and no attribution data for EU visitors.

The Four Consent Signals

Consent Mode v2 uses four boolean signals that your consent banner must set:

Signal	Controls	Default (no consent)
analytics_storage	Google Analytics cookies	denied
ad_storage	Advertising cookies (Google Ads, Floodlight)	denied
ad_user_data	Sending user data to Google for advertising	denied
ad_personalization	Personalised advertising (remarketing)	denied

When a user gives consent, the signals change to granted and Google tags begin full operation. When denied, Google uses cookieless pings and modelled conversions to fill gaps.

Basic vs Advanced Mode

Basic mode: Google tags don't load at all until consent is given. Simple, privacy-first, but you get zero data from non-consenting users.

Advanced mode: Google tags load immediately but send cookieless pings. When consent is denied, Google uses these pings for modelled conversions, giving you approximate data without violating privacy. This is what most advertisers want.

How LegalBanner Implements Consent Mode v2

LegalBanner has native Consent Mode v2 integration. There is nothing to configure — it works automatically:

1. When the page loads, LegalBanner sets all four signals to denied by default
2. When the user interacts with the consent banner, LegalBanner updates each signal based on their category choices
3. If the user accepts Analytics but rejects Marketing, analytics_storage becomes granted while ad_storage, ad_user_data, and ad_personalization remain denied
4. On return visits, the stored consent is applied immediately before any Google tags fire

Advanced mode is enabled by default, so you keep getting modelled conversion data even from non-consenting visitors.

Verification

To verify your implementation is working, open Chrome DevTools → Console and type dataLayer. Look for the consent event with the four parameters. You can also use Google's Tag Assistant to verify consent signals are being received correctly.

Don't Wait

If you're running Google Ads targeting EU audiences without Consent Mode v2, you're already losing data. Every day without it means fewer conversions tracked, worse audience signals, and less effective campaigns. LegalBanner adds Consent Mode v2 automatically — just deploy the script tag.